Learn From My Mistakes!
Hosting a salon isn’t the same as throwing a dinner party. It’s less fussy but more production overall, make sense?
Precise table settings, no.
Creating the conditions for electric, unforgettable and unexpected conversations, YES.
If you’re dipping your toe into salon hosting for the first time, here are seven mistakes you can easily avoid.
Inviting People Who Make You Anxious
This tip sounds like a weird one if you haven’t hosted before.
But if you have, you get what I’m writing about. Your guest list sets the tone. Do invite the people who boost you up in life and who make you a better person. Don’t invite someone merely because they’re impressive on paper—especially if their presence will make you a little anxious.
Start with people who make you feel curious, at ease, or genuinely excited.
With that said, inviting new folks who you don’t know is one of the great benefits to hosting a salon. But that’s up to you!
If people want to sign up for a lecture series, they’ll do that at the local library or university. No one wants to be at a salon in someone’s home that feels like a dry symposium. Resist the urge to micromanage every moment and give the evening some breathing room for your community to come into their own and find their voice and their vibe with each other. Choose a guest of honor or anchor topic, yes—but leave room for spontaneity and watch what unfolds.
When humans gather to listen to a certain topic or a musician, they are there just as much for the speaker as they are for bumping into each other. They might not know that, but as the host, you now know that … allow the magic to happen by giving lots of space for your guests to meet and chatter.
Hosting a throng in your home is not the time to test a tricky, multi-tiered soufflé. Keep the eats simple and satisfying. This isn’t a cooking competition. You’re here to be present, not stuck at the stove.
Great salons are guided, not scripted. Have a few provocations or questions in your pocket. Interview an expert (for me, this is the very easiest kind of salon to host). Know how to gracefully redirect a hijacked discussion. This is your home and you’re in charge! And if you’re moderating, be generous but firm—your role is to keep things crackling and lively.
Some people just don’t know when to stop chattering but you’re there to manage them gently so the rest of your guests don’t suffer!
Why? Why? Why? Why do this to yourself? Ask for help or hire help – two options we are all capable of! A good host isn’t frantic—they’re floating, engaged, and in command of the room.
Perfection is a bore. Leave room for surprise, chaos, and delight. That’s what people will remember and that is why they will come back, and maybe even be inspired to host their own salon.
A salon is a living entity with a pulse, it is a community of people from all backgrounds and ages—it breathes, and sometimes it’s naughty and misbehaves. Let it do just that. The world won’t end.
What will happen next time? Start planning to find out!
Kind lighting, a variety of seating options, and music matter more than you may think. A room that’s too ghastly bright or awkwardly arranged can kill a vibe before it starts. Dim the lights, make a playlist or two, and curate the space like you’re inviting people into a story that is about to unfold.
Have the best time hosting a salon with your community!
By Susan MacTavish Best